Duluth City Council Agenda Session - January 23, 2025
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Duluth City Council Agenda Session - January 23, 2025
On January 23, 2025, the Duluth City Council held an agenda session to discuss resolutions and items for the upcoming council meeting on Monday, January 27. The session covered finance, purchasing, personnel, planning, public works, and recreational items, with councilors raising questions on process, contracts, and community impact.
Consent Calendar
- Finance Items (Resolutions 35, 44, 45, 58, 60, 64, 73, 75, 76, 78, 87): Collective bargaining agreements, assessment rolls, tourism tax contracts, and legal services. Councillor Durwachter clarified that tourism tax contracts (e.g., Depot Foundation $150,000, Spirit Mountain $400,000, Great Lakes Aquarium $310,000) were previously budgeted. No objections noted.
- Purchasing and Licensing Items (Resolutions 28, 32, 33, 36, 37, 41): Annual contracts for OEM parts, tires, and equipment from various vendors. No questions raised.
- Personnel Item 20 (Resolution 40): Appointment of Matthew Staling as city administrator and execution of employment contract. Discussed separately (see Discussion Items).
- Personnel Item 21 (Resolution 89): Appointment of Marsha Liu as human rights and equity officer. Discussed separately.
- Planning Items 23-28 (Resolutions 65-70): Consolidated plan, CDBG, HOME, ESG grants, redevelopment grant for Goodwill project, demolition loan for Lot D. No immediate questions, but further discussion expected at Monday's committee of the whole.
- Public Safety Item 37 (Resolution 62): Grant for emergency management program. No questions.
- Recreational Libraries Items 38-44 (Resolutions 7, 31, 42, 42, 61, 82, 83): Fire facility assessment, EV fast charger, library gifts, emerald ash borer, Chester Bowl agreement, Indigo Sports amendment. Discussed separately.
Discussion Items
- Personnel Item 19 (Resolution 19): Appointment of Tim McShane to Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA). Councillors raised concerns about the posting process, candidate pool diversity, and lack of lived experience on the board. Councillor Durwachter pulled the item from consent, citing miscommunication about an interview rescheduling. Councillor Owell suggested tabling to allow more applicants. Mr. Montgomery, City Administrator, noted it is a mayoral appointment and council's role is to approve or disapprove.
- Personnel Item 20 (Resolution 40): Matthew Staling's employment contract. Councillor Randorf questioned the term through 2031 (beyond Mayor Reinert's term) and severance (4 months). Mr. Montgomery explained competitive necessity in attracting talent. Councillor Mayo asked about a $1,000/month housing stipend for up to 24 months; Mr. Montgomery confirmed it was part of negotiations and expected to be shorter. Councillor Owell requested details on the hiring process; Mr. Montgomery described 25-30 applicants, 7 interviewed, with Staling as top choice.
- Personnel Item 21 (Resolution 89): Marsha Liu as human rights and equity officer. Councillor Owell asked about the position's evolution. Mr. Montgomery stated the role now combines external human rights duties with internal equity work, previously separate under Carl Crawford. Councillor Owell confirmed integration of both functions.
- Planning Item 22 (Resolution 63): Amity Bluffs development agreement. Councillor Mayo asked about environmental protections. Director Van Tassel confirmed the 25-acre site includes 15 single-family lots and two outlots, one left undeveloped to protect wetlands and the river. Councillor Durwachter pulled the item from consent to consult with district residents and Jen Reed Moses.
- Planning Item 29 (Resolution 86): Settlement of lawsuit by Respect Starts Here and Eric Ringsred v. DEDA and City of Duluth, approximately $2,130,000. Councillor Kennedy asked about potential community benefits for Clayton Jackson McGee Memorial (CJMM). Manager Hobbs said the department will take a community approach in future redevelopment but could not commit specific funds; Assistant Attorney Tabor confirmed the settlement is a full and final resolution. Councillor Forsman asked for confirmation of finality; Ms. Tabor affirmed. Councillor Kennedy requested data on CJMM’s reserves.
- Public Works Item 32 (Resolution 38): Bardens Peak/Skyline Parkway rehabilitation contract ($1,719,500). Councillor Mayo asked about pedestrian crossings. Mr. Montgomery clarified it is a resurfacing project and announced an open house in February for community input.
- Recreational Item 39 (Resolution 31): EV fast charging station at Endion Station. Councillor Mayo asked if replacing the failed unit; Mr. Philby Williams confirmed replacement funded by a $219,888 MPCA grant.
- Recreational Item 42 (Resolution 61): Grant for emerald ash borer removal. Councillor Swenson asked about completion; Mr. Philby Williams stated the grant would bring the city very close to finishing the 10-year removal and replacement plan.
- Recreational Item 44 (Resolution 83): Amendment to Indigo Sports agreement. Councillor Durwachter asked for context; Mr. Philby Williams said the two-year extension is due to good performance (converting losses to profits). Councillor Mayo asked about cost increase and RFP process; Mr. Philby Williams clarified the increase reflects additional years, not a rate hike, and the vendor was selected through RFPs in 2015 and 2022.
Key Outcomes
- Items Pulled from Consent: Resolution 19 (McShane HRA appointment) and Resolution 63 (Amity Bluffs development) were pulled for further discussion and will be voted on separately at Monday's council meeting.
- Direction to Staff:
- City staff to provide a spreadsheet of requested vs. awarded amounts for CDBG and related grants at Monday's committee of the whole (requested by Councillor Owell).
- Engineering to hold an open house in February for the Skyline Parkway project (announced by Mr. Montgomery).
- Councillor Kennedy will explore potential community benefits for CJMM with Manager Hobbs.
- No Final Votes Taken: All resolutions are scheduled for action at the January 27 council meeting.
Meeting Transcript
And then final question from Councillor Der Walker. Thank you, Chair Mayo. I'm wondering if perhaps there could be just a brief volunteer task force to consult with these other communities that have done this. And you've stated that all of their budgets have been different because their sizes differ, but perhaps do a consultation with Vermont, Athens, Ohio, the communities in Colorado that have done this, and do a data gathering of what they've saved and what their expenses are. It seems like that would make the argument really convincing to administration and to the skeptics. I think that would be a good idea. Okay. Thank you. All right. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Olsen and the Duluth Energy Commission for your presentation, Ms. Granley, for your work in the sustainability office, and we will proceed on to our council agenda session. Thanks. Thank you. Thank you, Councillor Mayo. We will begin with Councillor Forsman Finance. Under Finance, we'll start with resolution 35 confirming assessment role for sidewalk repairs at three city locations. I assume oh yeah, yeah, in 2024. Thought it was typo for a second. Uh resolution 44, approving a collective bargaining agreement between the City of Duluth and the confidential unit of the City of Duluth for years 2025-2027. Resolution 45, approving a collective bargaining agreement between the City of Duluth and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Minnesota Council 5, Local 66 for basic unit employees for the years 2025 to 2027. Resolution 58 confirming assessment role for sanitary sewer extension for Westwood Lane. Resolution 60 confirming assessment role for stormwater sewer extension for Woodlawn Street. Resolution 64 authorizing the city to enter into an updated agreement with the Minnesota Department of Revenue to administer the City of Duluth's general sales and use tax. Resolution 73 authorizing an agreement with the Depot Foundation, the amount of 150,000. Resolution 75, amending joint powers agreement C20604 with Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center Authority for the operation of Minnesota Slip Pedestrian Draw Bridge during year 2025 for an annual amount not to exceed $50,800. Resolution 76 authorizing an agreement with uh Spirit Mountain Recreation Area Authority for 2025 operating expenses and the amount of 400,000 dollars. Resolution 78 authorizing an agreement with Great Lakes Aquarium in the amount of $310,000 and resolution 87 authorizing a contract with Heacks, Hartman, Coshmerl, Cosgriff, Johnson, Lane, and Feinstra, PA for legal professional services and the amount not to exceed $98,000 for the term of two years. Thank you, Councillor Forsman. Are there any questions for items two through twelve? Counselor Durwachter. Thank you, President Monica. Um I'd just like to clarify these are simply contracts for budget items that we previously approved. Is that correct? Um a couple meetings ago. Um I not correct on that. President Tomic, Counselor Durwachter, could you clarify? I'm not sure what you're referring to. Are these contracts that we are approving the logistics on for um that the was it the sales tax? Um, are you you're referring to the tourism tax related ones? Yeah, thank you. As part of the yes, as part of the budget. Um as part of the budget presentation, we presented the tourism tax budget that laid out all the collections and all of the separate allocations. These are the yes, these are the individual contracts. So with the depot. The arrangement for the provision of the 150,000. You already approved the tourism tax budget that contained the 150. This is now the contract with the depot, as with these other ones. Yes. Okay, thank you.
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